The Use of Post and Core in Public and Private Swedish Dental Care : A Questionnaire Study

Abstract: Post and core-systems are common techniques in oral rehabilitation of teeth with inadequate structure which do not allow using of the traditional restorations. Many factors can affect the treatments’ success and survival rate. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the use and experience of post and core systems in public and private Swedish dental care. The hypothesis was that prefabricated post in composite material is the most common post and core-system used in Swedish dentistry today. Complication rates are higher for teeth with post and core and crown restorations compared with teeth restored with only crowns but without post/core. Furthermore, the risk of catastrophic failure is more frequent for teeth restored with post and core than without. A survey was conducted by sending 500 questionnaires to dentists in public and private dental care in five different cities of Sweden. Results were compiled by 297 returned surveys and showed that the most used technique was individually cast post and core and the most used material was metal alloy post and core. Conclusion: Individually cast post and core was found to be the most used technique both in public and private dental care in Sweden. Fiber reinforced composite was considered as the material with highest complication rates while metal alloy post and core was the material with lowest complication rates. Root fracture was the most common complication reported. The ferrule effect was considered as the most important factor affecting the survival rate of treatment with post and core.